


Sedulous

by pastles



Category: Slam Dunk
Genre: M/M, POV Second Person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-12
Updated: 2014-05-12
Packaged: 2018-01-24 11:40:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1603811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pastles/pseuds/pastles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hard work would reap its own rewards.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sedulous

**Author's Note:**

> **For the LoveSenHana ML Dictionary Ficlet Challenge:**  
>  Sedulous - _Diligent and persevering_
> 
> Crossposted [Lj](http://mindfcuk.livejournal.com/15033.html)
> 
> Also, unbetaed *koffs*

You watch him as he runs down the court, sweat dripping down his body, soaking his shirt and his shorts. Your hands clench into fists that can put holes into walls as he punches the air in victory, his smile lighting up his whole face. Your breathing become erratic as your old teammates' failure in preventing the margin between scores from widening, not even your greatest enemy was able to stop him. He was too strong, too fast and too accurate.

You barely suppress your growl of frustration as you stood up, disappointment written all over your face. This is not supposed to happen! They are not supposed to fall apart this way! They should have won! Your stance tells your friends to not go near you, telling them to not say a word about the defeat of your team. You turn around without a sound, pushing people out of your way as you walk up the stands.

You never notice him looking at your back, his smile dimming a little as he sees you disappearing into the crowd. He only turns his attention back to his celebrating teammates when you walk out of the door, head and shoulders above everyone else.

+

You bounce the ball as hard as you can, never taking your eyes off it as it rose in the air to hang suspended for like what seems like minutes before descending, and bouncing again. You never take things too seriously, at least not when your friends are around. They think you start your "training sessions" at eight, when you've already been at it since six in the morning. You ignore their careful questions about your back and what your doctor has allowed, or rather, disallowed you to do. What do they know? Your team should not have lost the game.

You hurt. It bloody hurts every time you think about it.

You do not like to lose, everyone knows that. But you will accept defeat, albeit non too graciously if the defeat was worth it. You cried at the end of the Kainan match because you know, you just know, that it was your fault. And you cry under your blankets at night, silently because the Tensai is not supposed to cry for no reason at all.

You know that you are jeopardising your basketball career. You know that your friends and family worry for you. You know what the doctor says every time he comes into your room in the rehabilitation centre. And yet, you continue your training. Alone because no one is supposed to know that you are doing more than you are supposed to do.

You are the Tensai, and no one can stop you.

+

You see his black shoes first. He finds you on your side, in pain. The sun is just rising and you can already feel the heat of the day building up. You snarl at him when he kneels down next to you and lifts you up, like a child. The pain over takes you and you black out, hands still gripping the back of his shirt.

You wake up to his smiling face and wished that you had the strength to punch his lights out. You try to raise your arm to do just that and are mortified that you cannot seem to even lift up it up. You close your eyes then, in the childish hopes that you will not see him the next time you open your eyes.

You hear him talk and realise that it is to no avail.

"You do not use enough of your knees when you dribble, that is why you always lose control of the ball when you run."

You open your eyes slowly, suspicion and distrust written all over your face. He chuckles and reaches out to ruffle your hair. You weakly move your head and growl.

"Do not touch me."

You narrow your eyes as he shrugs. What is the enemy doing here? Why is he here?

"I live near here."

You roll your eyes and all of a sudden realise how much of the stupid fox you are acting like. Choking on a stray laugh, you breathe nosily through you nose and try again.

"Why are you here?"

"To visit you."

"Why?"

"Because I want to."

You restrain the urge to growl again and instead sigh. After all, you are the Tensai, you can tolerate a few of the more common people around.

"Why?"

You raise an eyebrow as he falls silent and is that a blush creeping up his neck?

"Sendoh, tell me why you are here."

+

You get visits from him every day, and he joins you in your secret morning trainings, always leaving just before your friends show up. You find yourself looking forward to his morning visits. He never tells you to not train so hard, or to stop. He does, however, correct your posture and your handling of the ball. You never notice that you do not do exercise as vigorously as you do when he is not around. You never notice how his eyes never leave you, ready to stop the practice at the first sign of pain or problem. He makes you take things slowly and carefully.

+

You kiss him first, one night when he visits you. He sits still for a second before kissing back.

You tell him that hard work would reap its own rewards and he laughs.


End file.
